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Reviews

My brother, Bill and I are the great grandsons of J. Cal Ewing, who is pictured at the start of the film clip. He is the white-haired gentleman walking along side the car. He is only on for a couple of seconds, but it is wonderful to see a moving picture of him. "Cal" Ewing was the owner of the Oaks and Seals early in the 20th Century and a major influence in the Pacific Coast League. Our family albums only include still photos. For us, the movie is a treasure. Thank you to whomever found it and posted it. Sincerely, Mike McGuire, Santa Rosa, CA

The Oakland Oaks opening day! Huzzah! They have a parade which nobody comes to.. then off to the field! The team poses for a picture.. Hey! They have a cute mascot! And then.. Hmm is that really a female pitcher? Is she the pitcher of the team? She¡¦s got a wild throw.. and she pitches to some old codger. More info needed! None given..

Pregame activities for the Oakland Oaks versus the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League on Opening Day, 1918. While the Pacific Coast League still exists, now as one of the AAA leagues for professional clubs, until the 1940s it was premire West Coast baseball league. Future stars like Joe DiMaggio got their start in the PCL. It was the popularity of the PCL that prompted the MLB and its owners to move clubs like the Giants and Dodgers to California in the 1950s.

This film covers an early game, starting off with a parade through the streets, followed by a ceremonial first pitch. We are also treated to a pan of the Oakland Oaks team, which identifies the date and teams for posterity. Unfortunately, we do not get any footage of the game itself, but this remains a great artifact of the early days of California baseball. Very clean and smooth footage is a bonus, especially given the age of the film.